Issue 15 of The Beestonian

The

Beestonian

ISSUE 15: All Resolutions Already Firmly Broken

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_Page 2 University of Beestonia BESTonian – Beeston's finest: Mick Brookes _Page 3

A square deal

Bringing in the changes _Page 4 Snake, rattle and roll Adder 'nother thing –Page 5 Bubbling under HORACE'S HALF HOUR _Page 6 Au Contraire: CYCLISTS _Page 7 Beeston Beats New sign at The Vic _Page 8 Famous last words Thought for the month

About Us: We are a locally-run, locally-based, regular, free paper for Beeston and its environs.

We are independent in all ways and not-for-profit, so if we say we like it, we really mean it.

You’ll find us in good Beeston coffee shops, pubs and other places we love.

After ten years of anticipation, rumour and false hope, the plans of the future look of Beeston Square were officially unveiled by developers Henry Boot in early January.

This was not, as one might expect after a decade of expectation, a ceremony to rival the Olympic Opening. Rather, it seemed to slip under most people’s radar.

It had little pre-publicity and was held on a Friday, when most people would be at work.

It even escaped the notice of the Nottingham Post, who didn’t receive the usual press release informing them of the exhibition, and The Beestonian only got wind of it through a kind tip-off from a reader.

Why such a damp squib? Henry Boot have held the lease for the Square for the last decade, claimed a healthy attendance, yet the vast majority of Beestonians – even local politicians, publicans and business owners – were unaware until afterwards. This seeming shyness triggered the expected conspiracy theories: were the plans so uninspiring it was felt best to give them the least amount of publicity possible? In all honesty, the plans are pretty dull, so this could be seen as a reasonable assumption.

They are far from a radical restructuring of our town centre, rather a face-lift. As the Square presently resembles something mutants would stagger down in some post-nuclear apocalypse

B-Movie, anything would be an improvement. Can we just lay straight into Henry Boot for this?

I think that would be unfair.

Most of the ire towards the developers stems from the lack of ‘development’ in the actual Square itself, and on the debris piles that now sit in place of a fire station, small retail unit and a multi-storey car park. Why? Quite simply, Henry Boot don’t have any control of these areas: they are held by the Council and (on an ad hoc basis) NET to facilitate the tram works. The Square in question is little more than the precinct. Bafflement that the bandstand will stay untouched therefore shouldn’t be directed at Henry Boot: they simply can’t touch it.

The decade that has followed Henry Boot handing over £6 million to the Council for the lease have been ten years of antagonism between the present and erstwhile leaseholders.

Henry Boot blame the lack of Council support, prevarication and keeping important facts regarding the tram and neighbouring development from them. Prominent Borough councillors who sit on planning committees are now publicly going on record to say ‘I now wish that we never got into bed with Henry Boot’. This is no mere tiff: it is a breakdown in communication that is reaching a level of anger which makes the tram debate seem almost trivial.

This is frankly terrifying.

Beeston is on the verge of huge change: the tram’s arrival, more

Cont. on page 3

The University of Beestonia Universities are increasingly international in focus; in the research they undertake and in the students they recruit.

It is one of the great privileges of working in a University environment that I get to meet and work with like-minded, and sometimes differently minded, people from all over the world, and make friends in wonderful and varied places.

But the University melting pot of nationalities is a challenge as well as a opportunity. How to allow and encourages free speech and academic debate, without insulting multiple cultural and national sensitivities, British ones very much included, within the University and in

the communities that surround the institutions is a difficult task; but very much part of all parties learning experiences.

At The University of Nottingham a great deal of work is undertaken to ensure that international students and staff are welcomed and helped to settle into life in the UK, and in a UK University. International students are spread around the different halls of residence on campus, and are invited to the University a week before the UK freshers to help get their bearings.

The School of Contemporary Chinese Studies is actively engaging with the Chinese community in Beeston, trying to help to solve some

of its common issues such as access to health services, understanding the UK education system, and participating in constructive dialogues with local authorities and will hold another forum for these different stakeholders this month.

Not all students who come to University in the UK come from a culture where drinking excessively 4 times a week is accepted or considered a worthwhile extra-curricular activity, and for many it is daunting to come into such an environment. However, usually the stories they hear are the exception rather than the norm and they soon find that there are as many different interests

as people who turn up to study at a given institution every year.

Those people who work in Universities to ensure these fears are managed and reduced, and to help international students and local communities understand each other better deserve our thanks and continued support.

The UK higher education sector is something we should all be proud of and increasing internationalisation shouldn’t be a reason to be less proud of the institutions, or the communities that surround them.

Thanks to Vaclav Kopecky and Bin Wu for their contributions to this piece.

Prof. J

BESTonian - Beeston’s Finest: 'Mad' Mick Brookes

spoken. He hosted Open Night events at innumerable pubs in Beeston and beyond. I personally remember his legendary hosting of one such night down The Crown about six years ago, an unmissable evening due to his

"Mick always had room on his magic carpet for others" knife-edge musical anarchism and his ability to coax even the most nervous of strummers into improbably effusive performances. I remember those nights as a rich, musical soup: eclectic, unpredictable and soulfully nutritious. The A rememberance service for Mick was, suitably, held at the Hop Pole on 10 healthiness of Beeston’s musical January. A moving montage of photographs (above) showed him with his scene right now can trace its roots to the generosity of those days. family and many, many friends.

Mick was a lucky man; spending Just before Christmas we lost attendance at his funeral, there what was to be his latter years a great Beestonian. A sudden can't be many of you – you’d working at Crossplay Music heart-attack has deprived us definitely have been aware of on Chilwell Road, a shining of the wonderful presence of him. He could always be seen example of a man who lived the ‘Mad’ Mick Brookes. with a rolled-up ciggie about his Confucian proverb, 'choose a If you didn’t know Mick – and person, and usually with a guitar. job you love, and you will never judging by the overwhelming His deep voice was always softly have to work a day in your life'.

He met the love of his life, Kat, a little over a decade ago, and they had a son, Dylan.

At his funeral, the eulogy was read out by his close friend (and half of Britain’s best Johnny Cash tribute band), Andy.

The chapel on Wollaton Road filled before even half of the attendees could get in. Despite the wintery cold, the crowd stood, bowed; there were sobs, laughs and sighs, but one description of Mick united us all in a mutual nod of recognition, a lump in the throat and prickled tears in the eye, "Mick always had room on his magic carpet for others".

I could not agree more, and only wish I’d known him longer. Anyone who ever fell into Mick’s orbit would concur without reservation.

A man who true to his passions who bought love to life; a one-off and a BESTonian through and through.

‘Mad’ Mick? Or one the sanest men to walk Beeston's streets.

Rest In Peace, dude.

Lord Beestonia

Bringing in the changes The New Year brings some significant changes to how Beeston looks: here’s a few highlights.

A fine piece of found poetry on Wollaton Road.

Wollaton Road is looking like it could becoming a real centre of culinary excellence in 2013.

Already served by the fantastic Library and the classy Indian goodness of Nimboo, Beeston gained Yiannis, a restaurant making its debut in December to bring authentic Greek cuisine to Beeston. it’s most definitely

"Yiannis: Good food, corking wine and, in some small way, your chance to help the Greek economy "

a good thing: if you like Greek food you can avoid the long journey into town for your fix of Lamb Stifado and overflowing mezze. Good food, corking wine and, in some small way, your chance to help the Greek economy cheer up.

Nextdoor, opening soon, is the much anticipated modern vegetarian restaurant, Cafe Roya. Originally situated within Chilwell Road’s Flying Goose, it’s now set out on its own at the site of what was The Treasury (who, incidentally, are due huge thanks for their support in sponsoring The Beestonian when we first started).

Roya’s attracted near-universal good reviews, and not just from those who think 'Meat is Murder' was The Smith’s finest moment.

I personally like eating things with faces, to the point I often draw a visage on fruit and veg before wolfing it down. Yet the sheer quality and imagination

Roya has already demonstrated means that I am more than happy to forego the flesh every now and then.

Over on Chilwell Road there’s something interesting stirring.

On the site of the much-missed Frenchy’s comes a curious and ambitious new project called ‘The Other Space’. Officially opening with an Alice in Wonderland themed party on Saturday, 26 January between 10am and 4pm, The Other Space will go on to become a propagator of creativity: with studio space, meeting rooms, a gallery and

" Roya’s attracted near-universal good reviews, and not just from those who think 'Meat is Murder' was The Smith’s finest moment. " lots of other stuff to promote the arts in Beeston. I’ve long touted Chilwell Road as Beeston’s – if not Nottingham’s - potential artquarter (there’s not a single chain store along its length). It’s a great example of how a space which could have so easily fallen into abandonment and dereliction instead transforming into

something weird and wonderful.

As Chilwell Road braces itself for the misery of the tramworks shutdown (for however long that may be – it's still in negotiation as we went to print. We will, of course, keep you posted), it’s great to see the area continue to surprise.

In a similar vein, Barton’s have delayed the announcement of their 2013 season due to uncertainty with the tram works, but after being given a sneak preview it should be a very exciting year at the former depot.

When we hear more about any of this, we’ll let you know. LB Cont. from page 1 student accommodation and, if the HS2 tram line gets the nod, being right next to what will be a huge station and interchange in Toton. At present there are no plans, no cohesive vision to give the town what it sorely needs: a real centre – modern and attractive to businesses; reflecting the spirit of the town.

It’s time for all relevant parties to get together with Beestonians and hammer out a vision to see the whole area between Middle Street and Foster Avenue transform into something that transcends miserable compromise and is a source of envy for all who visit Beeston, and of pride for all us Beestonians.

Let’s not waste another decade.

Lord Beestonia

Snake, rattle and roll Eve He has lived in Beeston as a student for many years, and gives a Chinese perspective on life, particularly during the season’s festivities, 5,000 miles from home.

It has been 5 years since I have last celebrated the Chinese Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) with my family in China, after moving here to study. What is it to celebrate this festival so far from home?

Ever since I can remember, the month before the Spring Festival has always had a very crowded feel, similar perhaps to how people prepare for Christmas in Western countries. If you walk on the street in China, you can see the people already putting out the new year‘s gateposts (‘Chun Lian’), Chinese lanterns (‘Deng

Long’), decorating and renewing and spring cleaning their houses.

Red is always seen everywhere – we believe this can bring luck and happiness. There is no absolute way to celebrate, however: China is such a large country, the various regions celebrate it in vastly diverse ways: central to them all, however, is family.

More locally, here in Beeston – with its large Chinese population – we always have something going on. The University of Nottingham has a large celebration gala and activities for everyone to join in. Chinese students often get together to make dumplings and have a party, watch the Spring Gala online, and play quintessentially Chinese card games. However, some might just leave all this behind

and stay in their flat to chat on Skype with their family in China, to feel that very rich, very unique Spring Festival atmosphere.

have such a mixed population in the University – this brings a true sense of China to Beeston, which enriches the local culture. There is no more important experience for us to celebrate than this festival, and it is so good to know that we have this Chinese culture to bring to everyone in the world, if they are open, receptive and sensitive to it. To celebrate these feelings which traditionally have one’s family at its centre, but with the ‘World-Family’ at large, is true to the ethic of the festival: Beeston as a microcosm of the world.

EH

In China, Spring Festival is not just a time to get together with the family, it also means letting the old things go, and welcoming all the best things on the horizon of the coming year. It is a time to remember the people who passed into the ‘next’ world: time for us to bring to mind the people we have known who have died.

In our Spirituality, we will have fireworks or crackers to scare the evil spirit away – a very popular, and noisy activity during the "Happy Chinese Spring celebration.

Being Chinese and living in Festival and good luck in the Beeston is something that can Year of the Snake! " bring such pleasure for us. We

Adder 'nother thing…

You'll hear it a lot, you may even have read about it already too - this year is the Year Of The Snake. But why?

And when is it Year Of The Kitten?

The Chinese Zodiac, or ‘Shēngxiào’ is an ancient system attributing all years to an animal and that animal’s ‘character’. It’s a 12 year cycle, so there are 12 animals. Traditionally, people are afforded character traits of the animal sign of the year of their birth. However, it’s a misconceptions that that’s as far as it goes – within the years there are animal signs attributed by month, day and even hours for ‘inner animals’, ‘true animals’ and ‘secret animals’, respectively.

This obviously leads to a complicated, zoo-like personal association; you might be a Rooster because you were born in 1970, but you also have to contend with your inner snake, true rat and secret pig. Which I think makes you a bit of an

opinionated, vain, patient genius with an unpredictability only equaled by your pedantic but sensitive lovemaking. Get you.

Interest in the Chinese Zodiac through Chinese New Year has spread to other cultures around the world, and it is now a popular theme. There are, obviously, issues with translation for some of the animals named in English - as these didn’t exist in China when the Zodiac was formed.

The Pig is often called 'Boar' in Eastern countries, 'Goat' can also be Ram or Sheep - and there's no real distinction between Rat and Mouse in Chinese so, really, it could be either.

Which is problematic, as mice and rats clearly have different characteristics, to my mind - but hey, what do I know, I'm a horse.

China follows a completely different calendar to Western cultures, being as it is Lunarsolar rather than a rolling number of years, so Chinese New Year falls on a different date in Western

calendar each year – some time between January 21 and February 20. In the Chinese calendar it usually falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice.

This is why, in China, it is called the ‘Spring Festival’; it occurs in the first solar term, so is the lunar new year - the end of winter. I imagine if we were to make a close equivalent from our menagerie of holidays and festivals in the UK, we'd have to mix up Christmas, your birthday and Easter (of Spring, not Jesus).

So you see, it really is quite a big deal for China. Why not wrap up warm and get out to enjoy the celebrations this Chinese New Year at one of the local events in Beeston, which has set itself the target of making the a bigger and better deal of it than ever before: 'Taste of China' 26 January Families are invited to get a 'Taste of China' through music, storytelling, arts workshops and

Dragon Dancing. Artist Ling Peng will host two two-hour arts workshops at Beeston Town Hall, Old Council Chamber, Foster Avenue, Beeston NG9 1AB on Saturday 26th January, starting at 10.30am and 2pm.

Booking is essential for each session.

Live Performances & Lantern Trail 9 February Family-friendly events on 9 February between 10am and 3.30pm.

Go to broxtowe.gov.uk and search for 'Chinese New Year 2013' for further information on these events.

Chinese New Year Highfields Park 10 February 4.30pm - 6.30pm Wrap up against the cold, and enjoy dance, music, and the brilliant fireworks finale across the lake at 6pm.

TF

Bubbling under You may have noticed, while lately strolling along the High Street of our fair town, a rather interesting, if mildly baffling new addition.

Shiny, smooth edged and white, it’s like stepping inside an iPad. Welcome to Beeston’s most interesting new enterprise: Hing Ke Bubble Tea. First, a quick explanation of what Bubble Tea is. Originating inTaiwan, it is a flavoured tea served (hot or cold) with either tapioca or juice balls. If your only experience of tapioca is that stuff you got for school dinner, think again; this stuff has a wonderful texture and taste, and is freshly made daily. It’s especially popular in busy urban areas, enabling the frantic office worker to combine food and drink in one cup. The ‘bubbles’ are not the tapioca, but the way the drink is made – it is shaken to give it a frothy feel. The variety of teas, combined with the large range of juice balls creates seemingly endless permutations of taste and texture. Exciting stuff.

It has become huge in the Far East, and has made inroads into Europe, notably Germany, where you’ll even found it served in McDonald's. Now it’s reached Beeston, the first of it’s kind in the East Midlands. For this we can thank former Hong

Kong resident James, a trained pharmacist (the complex process of making each drink lends itself to the precision and care of the chemist), and his wife Tina, who also hails from the East. Well, Essex.

Why then, I ask James, did they choose Beeston to open?

He explains that it’s due to our fanastically diverse population, driven by the University, "Many students come here as it’s a home from home. They come here and it’s a comfort to them". However, born and bred Beestonians who have rarely gone further East than Skegness are discovering the delights of bubble tea. Is it just a novelty, a passing fad? Or will it go on a trajectory similar to coffee? I think the latter – consider the paucity of coffee in Beeston a couple of decades ago.

Now one can purchase a plethora of caffeinated beverages: 'flat white', 'caramel latte', and so on. Back then, it was usually a toss-up between Nescafe or Red Mountain. In a few years we’ll be telling a incredulous tapiocaslurping youth that, back in our day, there was only one Bubble Tea shop.

To celebrate Chinese New Year, pop in and try one. I vouch you’ll be back before the Year of the Snake slithers off and trots back in as Year of the Horse.

LB

Bubble tea comes in many flavours.

Image courtesy of thetravelingbird.wordpress.com

Horace’s half hour Dust down your brainbox and have a New-Year stab at these…

(want to know your score? The answers are below. Want to cheat? ok, but we'll all see you turning your head – or the page)

1. Name the English Premier League Club with the least expensive season ticket.

5. Beeston Place, SW1, London, is close to which famous building?

8. 2013 is the first date in how many years to consist of four different numbers?

2. What is Jimmy Krankie’s real first name?

6. James, Richard, John and George are the first names of which band?

9. What, in relative financial terms, cost more: Titanic the film Titanic the ship?

3.Can an actual woodchucker 3. chuck wood?

10. Which is the most likely day of the week for attempting to commit suicide?

Answers: WIGAN / Jeanette / No / Monument/Haymarket / Buckingham Palace / The Beatles / iii.) / 26 / Film / Monday (17%) / sdaly, false

4. Name an underground station name shared by both London Underground and Newcastle Metro.

7. Anatidaephobia is the fear: i.) of your flies being down ii.) of heartburn iii.) that somewhere, a duck is watching you?

11. True or False: Top Trumps was named after its sibling inventors, who decided to formulise their mutual appreciation of flatulence into a card game?

Au Contraire: Cyclists Catholics. The end of the world.

And if you choose to go to work, university, school or your Alcoholics Anonymous meeting all sweaty and shaken up by being nearly crushed to death on some roundabout, that’s up to you. But please keep your hippy bike attire and enthusiastic stories far away from me.

ND: If you have a habit of getting around on a bike, I suggest you stop reading now as what follows won’t be nice. You and I probably won’t ever be friends.

Though I really dislike cyclists, please note that I don’t hate them, as my hate is reserved for other things, like the tram.

Cyclists baffle me. OK, so you want to go to work or school or wherever it is you go, but why would you transport yourself there on a bicycle of all things?

An argument often put forward by enthusiastic cyclists is that bikes are green and they don’t harm the environment. Well, let me crush your belief here.

I’m not sure how to tell you this, but your bike didn’t grow on a tree. It was man-made, like cars and buses and all sorts of safe vehicles. Considerable amount of environmental pollution happened while your bike was being made. And each of the times it breaks and you have to get new parts for it? Those were made in factories too. Yes, maybe it doesn’t use petrol but it’s not Saint either. It’s a shock, I know. Please have a seat and a sip of water.

So apart from not being the Green Fairies cyclists wrongly believe themselves to be, they’re also a danger on the roads to themselves and others. Have you seen a child get ran over by a bicycle? And I mean literally get run over. Because I have.

But luckily for me, the child in question was a boy I rather disliked back in junior school, so

him being mowed down by the local drunk was nothing more than pleasant for my young eyes.

His mother, on the other hand, wasn’t too pleased, and neither was the boy who heroically wore a tyre-print scab on his face for an entire week and was known as “Bikey Mikey” to the local children. Granted, cyclists rarely mow kids down nowadays, or so I hope, but sadly, they’ve become quite good at being mowed down by other motorists. I apologise if I outrageously offend anyone but cyclists do not belong on the road.

What frame of mind do you have to be to decide to peddle among fast-moving, half tonne, metal monstrosities? This is an genuine question. When I see my Hobbit-sized mother slowly ride away on her bike, I often question whether she is actually trying to kill herself in a selfless attempt to make my life financially easy thanks to her amazing Life Insurance. Also, at what point did wearing skin tight leggings while sticking your arse up while trying not to finally have a heart attack become socially acceptable? And do you really think that while I’m desperately trying not to run you over I would love to be treated to all of your fat rolls delicately packaged in Lycra?

Maybe I’m just not cool enough to be down with the cyclists of today, or maybe I have preserved some sort of normal brain function, but bikes are to me what gay marriage is to

TF: Bring me your Wiggoinspired peddlers; your padded masses, your pitched-forward Sunday Wheelers, and even them - your most respectable, sit up and beg-ers. Let's just engage the kick-brake and take a little breather, Nora. Clearly you have never felt the wind in your hair and a haematoma forming in your cheeks (no, the other ones) as you peddle steadily along, building up speed to over-take the git in the yellow en route to Trent Lock. Have you been on a bike at all in your life?

I can't really cycle anymore.

A fractured tailbone a couple of years back has kind of put the cybosh on my cycling days.

When you've stopped laughing you might consider how crap it is to no longer be able to do something Wholly Good that you actually really quite liked doing. Oh I dunno, imagine no more cats, novelty bags or Online Shopping. That.

There is nothing wrong, and everything right, with The Bicycle. Practically invented in Nottingham, and honed to perfection in Beeston, it is a noble thing indeed. However, like guns and knives, they're a dangerous implement when the possession of a berk. Cyclists can be berks. But so can anyone doing just about anything.

Usually, cyclist berks are the 100% 'fully subscribed' Cyclists; people who never drive or walk anywhere; they never catch a bus and only get a train to give their bike a break between circuits. When a bicycle starts to define who you are as a person, then you're in the dangerzone for berkdom. I was once verbally abused by such a specimen for simply crossing the road 50 paces

from him on an empty road.

'Pro Cyclists', let's call them. 'Pro Cyclists' do not like people – or 'peds' as they call them – nor do they like cars, buses or cycle paths. They only like bicycles and other Pro Cyclists (though not them either, if they have a better bike/bum/water bottle/ cycle helmet or Raleigh Banana top from 1991).

Show me a bicycle and I'll show you Independence. It was the bicycle that propelled our foresisters to emancipation, liberty and The Vote, and it was a bicycle what won us all them Gold medals at the Olympics last year. It's also a bicycle that enables a lot of less agile/mobile types to get a bit of exercise.

Once acquired (and you can pick one up for a tenner theses days) they cost next to nothing to run.

And, on a warm, sunny day, nothing beats a bike ride out with a few friends for a picnic at a pub you could never have walked to this side of tomorrow (not that I want to be thought of as condoning 'drunk peddling', of course - but I guess I just did).

I drive, walk a fair bit, and commute by bus everyday.

I think it's good to do a bit of each - so as to not define yourself as one over and above the others. People who are only ever Pedestrians give terrible directions, press the zebracrossing button on a near-empty road and often exhibit a total lack of spacial awareness; Drivers who've never walked anywhere in their lives are inconsiderate, cyclist-maiming baffoons. Bus/ Taxi/Train Riders are tardy, lazy and can occassionally smell.

Prevent yourself from becoming any by doing a bit of all - one day, being capable of all of these options may mean you're safe and sound. We may get lost, late or blisters along the way, but everything is kind of like riding a bike: if you fall off/get puddlewaved by a Bimmer/ignored by the NCT36, you just have to get right back on again. Unless you're a Pro Cyclist, in which case you're probably going to need an ambulance… or a hearse.

s t a e B n o t Bees It's never easy to communicate the effects of a sudden loss of a friend and musical comrade.

The sudden death of Mad Mick, or Mick Brookes (to use his Sunday name) has shocked not only the musicians but most of the Beeston community.

Everybody knew the guy, whether from seeing him play many an ‘open mic’ and musical ventures, or through having shared a bar and a good laugh with him. At times like this all the clichés come out about life being ‘too short’- it puts me in mind of a musical one that I hope Mick would appreciate, from the late Warren Zevon, “enjoy every sandwich”.

Mick was the kind of character Folk songs were written about in times gone by. Unlike a lot of people you meet now who could have come out of a cookie-cutter, Mick was a true Original. How many guys could fix your guitar, make you a wooden flute and, I kid you not, make an instrument out of a coconut, to the shock and awe of Hop Pole drinkers.

" Mick was the kind of character Folk songs were written about in times gone by"

He also didn't seem to favour shoes very much, wore cool dungarees and hats and made use of the term “dude” into an almost improvisational art form (anyone who heard him MC the Hop Pole Song Writing Contest could not fail to recall “Good evening dudes and dudesses”).

He was also a fella who stuck up for, and supported, fellow musicians - famously defending Hop Pole jammers one night from some drunken tossers decrying their efforts, “are you dudes going to get up and play?”. (they promptly drank-up and exited). A tough but kindhearted man who stood up for what he believed in. You don't meet many of those.

Although Mick and I worked in different music shops, there was no real competition between us, we were mates and would drink and occasionally play together.

One time, I was so drunk I only recalled it two days later.

However, when I say there was ‘no competition’ there was one about which I would like to tell you…

A few years back, while enjoying a few in The Hop Pole, Mick and I got on to the subject of each other’s relative girth and weight.

For those unaware - we were kind of similar-sized, heavyish built folks with beer bellies. I expounded my theory to Mick that he couldn't be the weight he claimed as he was a bit larger

than me and on paper I weighed more than him. “Dude, we can settle this with a bet” at which point, we both spat on our hands and shook on it to seal the deal (Mick informed me this was some kind of Gypsy handshake, I am, however, easily-led when under the influence). The bet was reasonably simple: whoever was the heavier man was the Loser.

The forfeit of which was having to be punched in the face by the Winner. Those of you who knew Mick may have considered this a foolhardy bet to take, but when I've been on the sauce I seem to consider myself Oliver Reed (in reality I’m more the love child of Ollie Reed and Fozzie Bear?).

Unfortunately, in an unrelated incident, I moved out of the area for a year and didn't see Mick much. After I returned, prodigallike, and during some more early doors Hop Pole drinking (cheaper than seeing a therapist), I happened to bring up the issue of the bet, the next thing you know Mick had despatched me to my shop to get the scales.

It was really going to happen.

Having placed the scales mid-bar and had barman, Charlie, test the scales for accuracy (woefully inaccurate scales about a stone out) we commenced the weighoff, much to the bemusement of some of the other patrons. I don't really know how, but I lost.

I was a whole 2 stone heavier than Mick. (Well, if you will

make silly bets?) I proceeded to spend the next ten minutes chasing him around the bar with my hands behind my back asking him to claim his prize and hit me… “Dude, don't be stupid - I'm not violent.” A good outcome for me, but endless ridicule about weight ensued between us. If you ever see me about ask me some of the unprintable stories such as our plotting the demise of a shoplifter in Crossplay (think ‘Pulp Fiction’… ) and the origination of his wonderful nickname for me: 'The Rohypnol Kid'.

Mick, you will be missed. A true Beeston legend and a good guy to know... keep rockin' dude..

JW Mick died on 22 December 2012 , aged 48.

Jimmy Wiggins can be found selling guitars and all things guitar-based at The Guitar Spot, Chilwell High Road, Beeston (and most pubs of an evening...).

New Sign At The Vic

7

Famous Last Words…

Facebook us, Tweet us, email us or even scribble us a proper, handwritten letter (we love those the most). We’ll publish it here, usually unedited, for all to see…

Dear Beestonian, I want to rant against the parking situation around the new (and very good) Greek restaurant on Wollaton Road. With no dedicated parking there's been a sudden influx of people parking on Middleton Street and nearby, causing a nightmare for residents - and as it's an evening business the council won't even consider any parking restrictions. And now 'The Treasury' gift shop next door has closed down and is being turned into... another restaurant. I appreciate the local business/cosmopolitan epicurean joy of exciting new ventures in Beestonia, but I would like to be able to park outside my own house too...

Maybe they could come to some deal with the good people of Lidl who have a car park the size of a supermarket car park not 100 yards away?

– Tim Pollard (via Facebook) Earlier in the month, Matt published on his blog, Beestonia, a response to his enquiry to James Greenway at Henry Boot (the developers of the Square) it's too long to publish in full here, so we would urge to go to beestonia.wordpress.com/2013/01/09/ beeston-square-henry-boot-speak to read it in its entirety, as it makes clear the development process and gives valuable background to the situation. However, here - especially for those not online - are a few main points from James Greenway's letter, followed by a comments from a local Councillor on the points he makes: " Given the feedback we have had since the consultation I fully appreciate that the refurbishment is never going to be as popular as a knock it down and start again scheme, however we do have to work with our current retail tenants and keep them trading whilst

we build around them which is no easy task hence the fact we need to refurbish elements where existing tenants will be and rebuild where we are able.

In terms of the public consultation itself the event was exceedingly well attended with 229 people coming along on the day and 174 people completing the questionnaires. Despite the press early indications show that over 97% of the people who completed the questionnaires supported the principle of redeveloping The Square and over 70% of these agreed that the proposal has a positive benefit to the area. We are now in the process of tabulating specific comments and suggested changes which we are in the process of feeding back to our design team and amending the scheme where appropriate. Obtaining the opinions of 174 individuals is a very high response rate and provides us with a clear overview of public opinion of the scheme. It is worth pointing out that the public will also have an opportunity to comment through the application process itself.'

'I appreciate that at some points it has looked like nothing has been happening, we assure you we have been working very hard at every opportunity to progress the scheme in Beeston having invested a significant amount of money in the area in late 2003. We are committed to Beeston and the project and will continue to move it forward as best as we are able, however we will need to work with the local Council to deliver the scheme as quickly as possible.

There also appears to be some comment that we could not name retailers who will be coming into the scheme. I would point out that given that there is so much vacant space within secondary town centres retailers are not committing to sites until they are 6-9 months away from delivering the final units therefore we have taken this opportunity to go for a flexible planning consent after which it will be marketed to the entire spectrum of retailers but because planning has been agreed we will be a further 3-4 months of the way through the process allowing retailers to commit with certainty to the town centre."

– James Greenway That is all very interesting and more or less how I remember matters.

Now I’m going to be a little bit unloyal: In March 2004 Alistair Darling the then Secretary of State for Transport stood in Beeston Town Hall and said (regarding transport to the west of Nottingham): “You need to do something and do it quickly.” We responded and within 6 months 3 councils had all voted to do something

and that was to build a tramway. The processes to fund this were thoroughly investigated and it all seemed ready.

At this point Beeston Square was also ready to go and Henry Boot needed details of where the tram would run and if it would run. The first question was soon answered, the second was up to Darling.

This became the most frustrating period of my life, to-ing and froing from Westminster, the Council House, party conferences and industry meetings. I and others stalked every minister we could find whenever we got the chance. I remember a story of how a very senior minister hid in the Westminster toilet when he saw a Nottingham MP approaching. Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Ed Miliband came to Nottingham and got ambushed.

We planted questions at question time but Darling would not shift, he did nothing.

– Steve Barber, Labour Councillor Beeston Rylands (via Beestonia) 'Mad Mick', by Steve ‘Spud’ Jones Hard as nails, soft as grease, Mad Mick the man of greasy hat Heart of gold, no doubting that A spade was a spade, so take your pick There's no replacing the man, Mad Mick.

Rolling a fag with that blue-eyed glint, When he turned up, the show was mint Never the man in a stupid suit Just shiny boots and a homemade flute He spoke the truth, jus’ like it was And now you’re gone, jus’ because.

Here no more, rest in peace

THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH "The Dude abides" – The Big Lebowski

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The Dreamy Team Editor, writing, sobbing, production, control-freakery, puns and Statesmen-like Ambassadorial duties: Lord Beestonia.

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